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“I don’t think there’s many things in life that emulate that buzz that goes through [your body] when you walk onto the pitch,” Matildas forward Kyah Simon tells GRAZIA. “It’s just an incredible moment, it’s raw emotion. The adrenaline from both the fans in the stadium, and knowing that you’re representing your country at the pinnacle of the sport with amazing women beside you, is a huge honour.”
As the Australian team, the Matildas, prepare to face the fast and physical Nigerian team this evening at the record-breaking 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup—and hopefully go all the way through to the grand final on August 20—they do so knowing a thousands of young girls are looking up to them. It’s a landscape that didn’t exist when Simon, now 32, was 17 years old.
“When I first made my debut in 2008, I feel like there wasn’t much visibility on women’s sport,” she explains. “You could never turn on the TV and watch women’s sport. I looked up to male footballers because I never saw any female footballers anywhere—in newspaper, in magazines, or on the internet. Social media wasn’t really a thing back then either.”
This year, that changed. There were wild scenes as 75,784 fans turned out at Sydney Olympic Park to watch Australia take down Ireland on July 20, making it the biggest Matildas crowd ever and the ninth largest women’s football attendance of all time.
“To see so many young female footballers aspiring to play for the Matilda’s one day has to do with visibility,” says Simon. “To see their role models, to see powerful independent females playing a code that they can now make a living off is incredible. That’s a huge change. I feel really grateful to come into the sport…where I could see it develop to where it in now, and hopefully continue the upward trajectory.
“I’m excited for the girls who will be filling our shoes one day.”
While the record crowds are relatively new, the Matildas apparel partner, Nike, has been a fervent supporter since day one. This year, backed by Nike’s largest ever investment in women-specific research, Nike pushed their design team to really listen to the unique needs of today’s powerful female footballers and design for the female anatomy. These learnings now extend to the regular consumer: Nike’s Flyknit bras now run in an expansive 30 sizes—30! Leak protection is now inbuilt into specific pieces (read: a super absorbent yet inconspicuous liner that protects against period leaks)—finally! Leggings are more compressive, bras for pregnant women that account for skin sensitivity are now on the shelves.
“Nike have been one of the pioneers in [the innovation of women’s sporting apparel],” says Simon. “They have created new technology, whether it be sports bras, or training kits. When I first looked at the new kit for this year, my initial thought was how light it felt when I put it on. That was a really nice feeling. Obviously, you want to look good when you go out onto the pitch—you look good you play good—and for me the jersey got me excited.
“In terms of Nike’s other new offerings like sports bras, they are really trying to incorporate new technology and be really ground-breaking in that space just to make sure females are feeling really comfortable in their own skin and in what they’re wearing,” Simon continues. “I’m so proud to be a Nike athlete.”
The Matilda’s have qualified for the last eight tournaments, but have never progressed past the quarter-finals (the final eight teams whittled down from 32 qualifying countries).
Below, a few of the new Nike innovations to shop now, so whatever sport you play, you too can feel at your best.
Attending a game? You can purchase a Matildas home stadium jersey here and away stadium jersey here via Nike.
Nike Swoosh Flyknit Women’s High-Support Non-Padded Sports Bra, $95 SHOP NOW
Women’s Firm-Support Mid-Rise Full-Length Leggings with Pockets, $130 SHOP NOW
Nike One Leak Protection: Period Women’s Mid-Rise 18cmBiker Shorts, $80 SHOP NOW
Nike Alate (M) Women’s Light-Support Lightly Lined Nursing Sports Bra (Maternity), $75 SHOP NOW
